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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. staff — a stick
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fall — the season
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fall — to drop
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com